DAM NATION: July 2015 Playlist

Here are another list of 15 songs that I (personally) fancy, that are already doing good on it's own and maybe some new singles from different artists that will probably - or maybe not - be hits in the next coming weeks in whatever format.

Enjoy!

1 Run Away With Me Carly Rae Jepsen

2 Renegades Jenaux (ft. Pia Toscano)

3 I Am Invincible Cassadee Pope

4 Right Here Right Now Jordin Sparks

5 679 Fetty Wap (ft. Remy Boyz)

6 Five More Hours Deorro (ft. Chris Brown)

7 Poison Rita Ora

8 Lean On Major Lazer x DJ Snake (ft. MØ)

9 Can't Feel My Face The Weeknd

10 I Don't Like It, I Love It Flo Rida (ft. Robin Thicke)

11 Do It Again Pia Mia (ft. Chris Brown & Tyga)

12 House Party Sam Hunt

13 How Deep Is Your Love Calvin Harris (ft. Disciples)

14 Around The World Natalie La Rose (ft. Fetty Wap)

15 Cool For The Summer Demi Lovato

DAM NATION

Password: The movie review I posted last July 25, 2015?

Movie Review: Paper Towns

While there was something very familiar and strangely predictable with Paper Towns, the film somehow managed to keep me constantly engaged. I don't know. From the muddled and thin premise to the cliched characters and even to the sluggish writing of Margo's character, this should've been a complete mess, but it wasn't. It turned out to be a lot more appealing than I expected; the cinematography was beautiful, the soundtrack was perfect, and the young cast was actually solid. Nat Wolff, in particular, turned in a rich, understated performance. I would've liked a better ending though as the film was drawn swiftly to its conclusion with in little more than 5 minutes, but I digress. Paper Towns was a charming piece of work carried by a decent cast overflowing with youthful energy. No, I didn't think it was exceptional or anything near flawless, but this, I think, will resonate with teenagers and those that remember that period all too well. 7

Movie Review: Ant-Man

Ant-Man was stupendous. It had it's fair share of flaws - weak villain and some clunky writing - but for the most part, this was probably one of the most self-aware and hysterical Marvel movies to date. The direction was on point, the screenplay was awesome, and with the current trend of comic book movies always trying to save the world, Ant-Man's much smaller story was a nice reprieve from all of the chaos. The visual effects were fantastic, the small scale action pieces were astonishing to watch, and the casting was genius. Paul Rudd, to my shock, was actually a perfect fit for the title role. I admit, I didn't see him as an effective lead in a superhero film - he's like a male version of Leslie Mann fit for stereotypical comedy films - but he pulled this off brilliantly. Evangeline Lilly and Michael Douglas were spot on, but it was Michael Peña who stole the show. He was a hoot! Ant-Man was, arguably, one of the strongest solo Marvel films in the last couple of years. It didn't take itself too seriously, which made it less predictable and extremely entertaining. Go watch it! 9

Movie Review: Magic Mike XXL

Much like the Step-Up franchise, nobody goes to a Magic Mike film expecting groundbreaking and profound storyline and some top notch acting. There was none of that here. But that's not to say Magic Mike XXL was terrible because it wasn't. Sure, it didn't offer much in terms of premise - it was your typical road trip film just with male strippers in it - and it came off as more superficial than it's predecessor, but the writing was surprisingly good, the direction by Steven Soderbergh was masterful, and the chemistry and dynamics between actors were pretty compelling. The pacing was a bit suspect as some scenes could've been cut a little shorter, but the self-aware hilarity somehow made up for it. I wouldn't say that Magic Mike XXL was better than the original as this one lacked a certain degree of depth, which made the first one a lot more riveting, but what worked this time was that it simply just didn't take itself too seriously. Parts of it was absolutely hysterical, and I was surprised to find myself quite entertained. 7.5

DAM NATION: July 2015 Throwback Playlist

It seems like I can't keep up anymore. Haha. But fret not, here's another set of throwback music. So yes, make sure to dim the lights and crank up this playlist.

Enjoy!

1 Pure Shores All Saints

2 Family Affair Mary J. Blige

3 Dilemma Nelly (ft. Kelly Rowland)

4 Have You Ever Brandy

5 Hit 'Em Up Style (Oops!) Blu Cantrell

6 Hemorrhage (In My Hands) Fuel

7 Where You Are Jessica Simpson (ft. Nick Lachey)

8 Someone To Call My Lover Janet Jackson

9 Scar Tissue Red Hot Chili Peppers

10 No Diggity Blackstreet (ft. Dr. Dre)

11 Gone *NSYNC

12 Stutter Joe

13 Bootylicious Destiny's Child

14 Again Lenny Kravitz

15 Ignition (Remix) R. Kelly

DAM NATION

Password: The lowest movie review score I gave this year

Movie Review: Minions

Let me go straight to the point: Minions were funny comedic reliefs in the Despicable Me franchise, but sadly, they're not strong enough to be leading characters carrying a film on their own. Yes, they were still very charming and lovable, and the animation was quite excellent with bright colors and beautifully rendered backgrounds, but that's about it. The story was structurally weak and sometimes non-existent, the slapstick humor was repetitive, shallow and got old real quick, and there's an obvious lack of emotions and heart. While not terrible and annoying as I feared, Minions wouldn't appeal to anyone over the age of 10. This movie is strictly for the kids, and personally, an unnecessary prequel. 3

Movie Review: Terminator Genisys

Not really sure what to think about Terminator Genisys. While this was a bold attempt to kickstart the franchise once again, everything just felt a little underwhelming and generic. The narrative was a mess, the time travel plot was a lot to take in, and for some strange reason, the film lacked a real sense of danger. I didn't care much for Jai Courtney's character - who was generally bland - and while Emilia Clarke delivered some solid punch to the movie, there was still something missing. Arnold Schwarzenegger, on the other hand, was brilliant on his role and JK Simmons' character was pointless. Of course, the visual effects were crisp, glossy, and on point, but nothing special. Oh, and the action scenes were few and far between that somehow made this a basic summer blockbuster. Terminator Genisys wasn't bad, it was just not THAT compelling enough. 5

Movie Review: The Break-Up Playlist

While I wouldn't go so far as to say that The Break-Up Playlist was as good as Begin Again, this Sarah Geronimo and Piolo Pascual starrer was A LOT better than I expected. Sure, the film was flawed - the script was weak, the product placements were shameful, and the ending seemed more like a sloppy afterthought - but there's something undeniably charming and fresh about the film. The story was quite simple, but with an interesting approach in that the music in it were mostly performance pieces. The refreshing edit made the narrative more compelling, the cinematography looked awesome, the soundtrack sounded great, and there's a sincerity in both lead characters - only dragged by the sluggish dialogues. Piolo Pascual and Sarah Geronimo were both painfully charismatic and while they lacked a certain degree of nuance in some of their scenes, I didn't mind. The Break-Up Playlist was a pleasant piece of entertainment. Not the best, but it had its moments. 7